Farm land bulldozer, snowplow, and road maintainer



Aug. 26, 1947.

BQF. OWEN 2,

FARM LAND BULLDOZBR, snow PLOW, AND ROAD MAINTAINER Filed May 10, 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 km N l I 71 I I I o 3nventor an B.F.O'wen (Incl-neg Aug.

a. F. OWEN FARM LAND BULLDOZER, SNOW PLOW, AND ROAD MAINTAINER Filed May 10, 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 3nnentor a BFDwen (Ittorneg Patented Aug. 26, 1947 2,426,410 FARM LAND BULLDOZER, SN OWPLOW, AND

ROAD MAINT AINER Benjamin F. Owen, Omaha, Nebr.

Application May 10, 1945, Serial No. 593,059

2 Claims. (Cl, 37-42) The present invention relates to the read and farm machinery art and has for an object to provide a device which may be readily attached to and removed from several conventional types of tractors, for operation in conjunction therewith, for removing snow from the surface of roadways, for spreading materials on roadways, farm lands and the like and for scraping and treating the surfaces thereof.

A further object of the invention is to provide a mechanism for the above stated purposes having a U-shaped supporting frame for a mold-board so constructed and arrangedwith respect to'an attaching frame employed that, in conjunction with other parts of the mechanism, the moldboard may be readily elevated and lowered with respect to the surface of a roadway or the surface ofland and may be readily positioned and maintained at a selected angle of inclination with respect to the longitudinal length of said surfaces.

A-still further object of the invention is to provide a mechanism for the foregoing stated purposes which includes comparatively few and simple parts, conveniently manually controllable and which adequately sustains the shocks and jars incident to use without injury or breakage of the parts thereof.

Another object of the invention is to provide a mechanism for the above stated purposes which is operable at comparatively high speeds for moving snow and other materials with a minimum of sidedraft stress."

An important object of the invention is to provide a mechanism for the above stated purposes, the mold-board of which is equipped with an arrangement of parts so constructed that an automatic trip device is provided constituting a safety factor, together with a mechanism for returning the mold-board to a normal position subsequent to a tripping operation and means for limiting a movement of said mold-board during a tripping operation.

While the drawings illustrate a preferred embodiment of the invention, it will be understood that in adapting the means to meet specific needs and-requirements, the design may bevaried and such other changes in minor details of construction and the number of parts employed may be resorted to within the scope of the invention as claimed without departing from the spirit thereof.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a side'elevation of the present invention, a tractor employed being represented by dotted lines and its rear axle housing in section. A mold-board of the invention being di'sposed transversely with respect to the longitudinal length of said tractor.

Figure 2 is a transverse section thereof, the

view being taken substantially on line 22 of Figure 1', certain springs and a detent-chain employed being removed.

Figure 3 is a top plan view of the mechanism shown in Figure 1, the mold-board being depleted inclinedly with respect to the showing thereof in Figure 1. a

In the drawings, It) generally indicates a tractor of any suitable, conventional type having front and rear wheels, an engine and a frame.

The frame includes oppositely disposed side frame rails II and I 2. The rails, during use, are normally horizontally disposed.

Adjacentthe rearward end of the rail H, a hanger-bar I3 is provided which is disposed at approximately a right angle with respect to and against the rail ll. As best shown in Figure 3, a cleat H is disposed in parallelism with respect to the member [3 and at the inner side or the rail ll. Abolt or similar keeper I5 is disposed across the upper side of the rail II and through the members l4 and IS. A similar bolt I6 is employed beneath and against the rail II, as shown in Figure 1, whereby the cieat I4 and bar I 3 are rigidly joined together and to the rail I I Referring to Figure 1, a second hanger-bar I1 is similarly secured to the rail ll adjacent the forwardly disposed end of said rail by means of a cleat I4 and bolts. An anti-sway brace l8, as best shown in Figure 1, is employed having itsends respectively secured, by any suitable means such a bolts or the like, to the rail II and to the rearwardly disposed bar l3.

As best shown'in Figure 3, the frame rail I2 is similarly provided with vertically disposed hanger-brackets l3 and I I, cleats l4", antisway brace l8 and bolts, whereby the later described mechanism may be'readily attached to and removed from the tractor I 0.

A transversely disposed brace-bar I9 is welded or otherwise suitably secured to the lower ends.

of the oppositely disposed hanger l3 and I3.

Similarly, a forwardly and transversely disposed brace-bar 20 is secured to the lower ends of the forwardlydisposed hangers l1 and H.

The attaching frame of the present invention further includes oppositely and longitudinally disposed'side rails 2| and 22 which are respectively welded orbolted to the outer ends of the bracebars I! and 20.

As best shown in Figure 1, the rails 2| and 22 are of equal length and extend forwardly of the front steering wheel of the tractor III. The forward ends of the rails 2| and 22 are joined together by means of a third transversely disposed brace-bar 23, the latter being best shown inFigure A supporting frame is employed for a later described mold-board and its adjunct mechanism. The supporting frame includes a yoke 24 of U- shape in plan' and a brace 3|. The ends of the brace-3| are respectively welded to the oppositely disposed side arms of .the yoke. The rearwardly disposed ends 25 and 26 of the member 24 are pivotally attached respectively, as at 21 and 28, to the members 2| and 22 of the supporting frame, whereby the yoke 24 is swingable vertically.

In operation, since the major portion of the weight of the yoke 24 is disposed forwardly of the pivots or bolts 21 and 28, the yoke normally moves downwardly by operation of gravity.

Means are provided for positioning and maintaining the forward end 30 of the yoke 24 a selected distance above the surface indicated at 29 for positioning the later described moldboard operatively.

Adjacent each end of the brace 3| of the yoke 24, oppositely disposed upstanding lugs 32 and 33 are secured to the member 3| and links or chains 34 and 35 are pivotally attached, as at 36 and 31, respectively to the lugs 32 and.33. The said positioning means further includes oppositely disposed standards 38 and 33 which are secured, at their lower ends, to the transversely disposed brace-bar 23 of the attaching frame. A rod 46 extends between and through the standards 38 and 33 being journaled with respect to the standards adjacent the upper ends of the as at 42, to the link 34, the other end of the to the links 34 and for raising the U--shapedv yoke 24 correspondingly, v

The reach-rod extends from the bellcrank lever 4| rearwardly, and the rear end thereof ispivotally attached, as at 46, to a hand lever 41. The lever is preferably provided with a conventional throttle grip for moving a detent 43 out of engagement with and from between selected teeth of a. sector 43. The sector is rigidly secured to the rear axle housing 50 of the tractor l0 by any suitable means such as the studs 5|.

Midway between the ends of the brace-bar 3| of the yoke, a removable king-pin 52 is provided for pivotally attaching the rearwardly disposed ends of radial arms 53 and 54 to said bar 3| and for this purpose, the converged rear ends of said arms are welded together, as best shown in Figure 3) The forward ends of the arms 53 and 54 are divergently disposed with respect to each other and are respectively welded to opposite ends of a platform bar 55.

As best shown in Figure 3, a keeper-pin 56 is removably disposed through a hole in the bar 55 and through a selected one of a plurality. of apertures 51, the latter being provided through the arcuate neck of the yoke 24, and it will be seen that the operator, by means of withdrawing the pin 56 and'sliding the platform 55 upon the upper surface of the yoke, may dispose and maintain the bar 55 at a selected angle of inclination with re- As best shown in Figure 1, the platform bar 55 I is preferably formed of angle iron and to the forward vertical surface thereof, spaced apart lugs 60 and SI are provided. The lugs are respectively pivotally attached, as at62, to cars 63 and 64.

The ears have forwardly disposed ends which are welded to the convex surface of the mold-board, the latter being generally indicated at 65.

The mold-board is arcuate in cross section and is preferably provided with a plurality of spaced apart reinforcing ribs 66 and similar end ribs 61.

The lower ends of the ribs are welded to a transversely disposed angle-iron bar 68 and the upper ends thereof are similarly secured to an upper bar 69. .A comparatively thin sheet of boiler iron or the like 69' provides the working surface of the mold-board 65. Since the moldboard is pivotally attachedto the platform bar 55, it is swingable in horizontal directions with said bar and movable in vertical directions with respect to the platform bar for purposes later described.

Slotted arms II and 12 are provided, having their forwardly disposed ends welded to certain of the ribs 66 of the mold-board. Pins 14 extend through the slots I3 of said arms, said pins being respectively rigidly secured to the upstanding standards 58 and 59 carried by'the platform bar 55 for preventing lateral movement of the mold-board with respect to the bar 55 while at the same time, permitting verticalswinging movement thereof. 1

A pair of springs 15 are'employed having their rear ends respectively attached to the radial arms 53 and 54, as shown in Figure 3, the forward ends of the springs being providedwith hooks which are disposed through eyes 16, as best shown in Figure l, of the bolts 11. The shanks of the bolts 11 extend through lugs "and the latter are suitably secured to the mold-board 65, preferably near the upper edge of the mold-board for leverage purposes and use as later described.

Nuts 19 are provided on each side of each lug 18 for adjusting and maintainin the tension of the springs 15 and as thus described, it will be seen that the springs 15 urge the upper edge of the mold-board 65 toward the king-pin 52 at all times since the pins 14 are permitted to slide in the slots 13 of the arms H and 12..

Means are provided for limiting a forward swinging movement of the upper portion of the mold-board 65. The limiting means includes a chain havin a rear end secured to the radial arm 53 and a forward end which is disposed over the upper edge of the mold-board 65, said forward end of the chain 80 being disposed, in use, in the slot provided between oppositely disposed fingers 8|, said fingers being suitably secured to the upper edge of the mold-board 65,

In operation, the operator may dispose a selected link of the chain 86 in said slot provided by and between the fingers 8| or he may, if desired,

hook a link of said chain about one of said fingers for a minute adjustment.

A scraper or cuttingblade 82 is secured to the edge 83, said edge being disposed towards the surface 28 for contact with the latter or with mate- 'the blade 83 contacts with a nearly immovable object upon the surface of a roadway, such asa cobblestone or the like frozen in ice to said roadway and at times when snow is being cleared from said roadway and said stone is invisible to the operator, the upper portion of the mold-board moves forwardly, the blade 82 rearwardly and against the urge of the springs resultant from contact with said stone, whereby the blade 82 passes over said stone without injury to the mechvented in accordance with conditions encountered on a farm or road during many utilitarian operations of diverse type.

From the foregoing description, it is thought to be obvious that a farm land bulldozer, snow plow and road maintainer constructed in accordance with my invention is particularly well adapted for use by reason of the convenience and facility with which it may be assembled on and removed from anism, whereupon the springs 15 return the blade arid mold-board to a normal position.

For snow clearing operations, especially a clearing of paved, comparatively smooth roadways, a tractor is operated to move forwardly at high speed. For this use, the chain 80 is slack or disconnected-from the fingers 8| of the moldboard and the latter is disposed inclinedly with respect to the length of the road as shown in Figure 3.

At times when the chain is disconnected, the springs 15 cause the pins H to engage those end walls of the slots 13 of the arms II and 12 which are closest to the mold-board and the latter to be in a normal position. The said normal position is further toward the tractor than as shown in Figure 1. The said end walls of the slots I8 provide detents for limiting a movement of the moldboard in one direction.

For operations such as a removal of snow from an ice field, preparatoryto harvesting ice, in instances where the snow is partially frozen to the ice, a scraping and cutting process is Ill tessitate'd. For this type of work, the mold-board is disposed approximately transversely with respect to the length of the machine as shown in Figure 1, the lever 42 is manipulated to cause the edge 83 of the cutter 82 to engage snugly against the surface of the ice and the chain 80 is employed for causing the cutter 82 to remain in a selected position during a forward, comparatively slow speed, travel of the machine, the tractor thereof bein in low gear for this work.

By removing and replacing the keeper-pin 58, the mold-board may be maintained transversely with respect to the roadway and at a right angle with respect to the longitudinal length of the machine or at a selected angle of inclination as may be desired complemental to the type of work encountered.

The cutting blade 82 may be raised or lowered with respect" to the surface 28 for different types of work and for traveling movements going to and from work or maintained in a raised position by manipulation of the detent 48 to cause the detent to engage between selected teeth of the sector 49.

Among other advantages of the invention, it is believed pertinent to mention that manure deposited about a farm barn yard may be bulldozed or pushed into a pile for removal to farm land for fertilizing said land; that hummocks of earth on a crop producing field may be readily bulldozed and leveled; holes filled for increasing the utility and enhancing the value of farm land economically and rapidly, since the swingable feature of the mold-board of the present invention provides a factor of safety during speedy travelof the machine and said swinging may be-readily prea farm tractor or the like'and rapidly operated, and it will also be obvious that my invention is susceptible of some change and modification without departing from the principles and spirit thereof and for this reason, I do not wish to be understood as limiting myself to the precise arrangement and formation of the several parts herein shown in carrying out my invention in practice, except as claimed.

I claim:

1. In a machine for the purpose described; the combination of a semi-circular yoke having oppositely disposed parallel portions and a bar disposed between said portions; means for attaching the ends of said portions pivotally to the frame of a tractor for vertical swinging movements of the yoke forwardly of the tractor; means for swinging the yoke; means for preventing swinging movements ofthe yoke; a platform-bar mounted on said yoke, radially disposed arms having ends secured respectively to the ends of said platform, the other ends of said radial-arms being joined together; a king-pin disposed through the joined ends of said radial-arms and the media] portion of said yoke-bar to permit horizontal sliding movements of the platform on the yoke through approximately seventy degrees of a circle; means for locking said yoke and platform together; a mold-board having a pivotal connection with each end of the platform adjacent the lower longitudinal edge of the moldboard to permit vertical swinging movements of said mold-board with respect to said platform;

spaced apart standards secured to said platform arms secured to the mold-board having ends respectively disposd against the inner sides of said standards, said ends of the arms each being provided with an elongated aperture; pins disposed through said apertures and said standards for limiting swinging movements of the mold-board in one direction; resilient means for urging the mold-board to swing in the said one direction, and means including a chain for limiting a swinging movement of the mold-board in a direction opposite to the said one direction.

2. In a mold-board mechanism for a snow plow or the like comprising an elongated rectangular sheet of arcuate contour in cross section, a cutter secured to said sheet in parallelism with one of the latters longitudinal edges, a plurality of spaced apart ribs secured to the convex surface of said sheet, spaced apart ears secured to said sheet adjacent said cutter, a bar having two spaced apart lugs outstanding therefrom, said lugs and ears being pivotally connected together to permit swinging movements of said sheet with respect to said bar, a standard secured to said bar adjacent each lug, two spaced apart arms each having an end provided with an elongated aperture, the other ends of said arms being respectively secured to certain'of said ribs, the slotted ends of said arms being disposed respectively against the standards, pins secured to said standards and disposed through said apertures to limit a swinging movement of the mold-boardtoward said bar, arms secured to said bar, said arms 7 being disposed convergentiy and having their REFERENCES CITED other converged ends joined together said-10mg! The following references are of record in the end being provided with an aperture for receivme of this patent:

ing a king-pin, springs having ends secured to said arms, the other ends 01 said springs being at- 5 V UNITED 3T ATENTS tached to the mold-board i'or urging the latter Number N t toward said bar, a chain having an end secured 1,522,373 McLeod 1; 6 1925 to one or said arms, and a hook on S id mold- 1,698,809 Angeli Jan. 15, 1929 board for engaging a, selected link 01' said chain 1,788,698 Wooldridge- Jan. 13, 1931 for limiting a, swinging movement of the board 2,057,326 Coates '-Oct. 13, was 2,072,306 Keeler Mar. 2, 1937 away from said bar.

I BENJAMIN F. OWEN. 2,310,057 Boer-ma Feb. 2,1943 

